Comments on: Do you own your data stream? http://www.digitalgoggles.com/2010/02/08/do-you-own-your-data-stream/ Random thoughts around technology, the internet and startups Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:29:23 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: mcichows http://www.digitalgoggles.com/2010/02/08/do-you-own-your-data-stream/comment-page-1/#comment-1525 mcichows Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:29:23 +0000 http://www.digitalgoggles.com/?p=1312#comment-1525 Good commentary. The rights issue is a big one and probably won't be answered any time soon. As I consumer, I'd like to at least have a say in who can or can't access my data. Take the Blippy example and apply it to Mint. That's equivalent to the banks and credit card companies deciding not to allow Mint to access any of their data. Thankfully this didn't happen, but what if? Good commentary. The rights issue is a big one and probably won't be answered any time soon. As I consumer, I'd like to at least have a say in who can or can't access my data. Take the Blippy example and apply it to Mint. That's equivalent to the banks and credit card companies deciding not to allow Mint to access any of their data. Thankfully this didn't happen, but what if?

]]> By: Dave http://www.digitalgoggles.com/2010/02/08/do-you-own-your-data-stream/comment-page-1/#comment-1524 Dave Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:41:36 +0000 http://www.digitalgoggles.com/?p=1312#comment-1524 I think the ownership of data is not a debate anymore - you are giving companies your data in exchange for access to their free service. No reason you should have ownership of the data if you are getting something in return. I think the questions are what rights you should have to your data, e.g. what is the licensing agreement you are giving to companies for your data. Should your data be destroyed if you remove your account with a service, can you review/update what data has been collected on you (I think Google is doing a better job exposing this than most), can you choose who your data will be shared with, secured/unsecured API access to data, etc... I think businesses will default to the least amount of restrictions on data usage, and it would take someone like the FTC to set limits. That'd be really tough to enforce, especially on smaller companies, and might limit innovation as well.<br><br>Tough problem. My guess is that best solution is to require websites to post obvious disclaimers on the use of the data collected, and let consumers decide. Right now it's not obvious that happens, and no one reads the privacy policies on the website. Just imagine the level of detail Mint has on people, I don't think most consumers recognize just how much privacy they've traded for convenience... I think the ownership of data is not a debate anymore – you are giving companies your data in exchange for access to their free service. No reason you should have ownership of the data if you are getting something in return. I think the questions are what rights you should have to your data, e.g. what is the licensing agreement you are giving to companies for your data. Should your data be destroyed if you remove your account with a service, can you review/update what data has been collected on you (I think Google is doing a better job exposing this than most), can you choose who your data will be shared with, secured/unsecured API access to data, etc… I think businesses will default to the least amount of restrictions on data usage, and it would take someone like the FTC to set limits. That'd be really tough to enforce, especially on smaller companies, and might limit innovation as well.

Tough problem. My guess is that best solution is to require websites to post obvious disclaimers on the use of the data collected, and let consumers decide. Right now it's not obvious that happens, and no one reads the privacy policies on the website. Just imagine the level of detail Mint has on people, I don't think most consumers recognize just how much privacy they've traded for convenience…

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